From 5a2a1ca1ab5af23f968c8e4a190836dc1b6048d2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Georg Brandl Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2010 10:44:11 +0000 Subject: #9138: reword introduction to classes in Python. --- Doc/tutorial/classes.rst | 32 ++++++++++++++++---------------- 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 16 deletions(-) (limited to 'Doc/tutorial/classes.rst') diff --git a/Doc/tutorial/classes.rst b/Doc/tutorial/classes.rst index 4113b30098..576ef3a49c 100644 --- a/Doc/tutorial/classes.rst +++ b/Doc/tutorial/classes.rst @@ -4,26 +4,26 @@ Classes ******* -Python's class mechanism adds classes to the language with a minimum of new -syntax and semantics. It is a mixture of the class mechanisms found in C++ and -Modula-3. As is true for modules, classes in Python do not put an absolute -barrier between definition and user, but rather rely on the politeness of the -user not to "break into the definition." The most important features of classes -are retained with full power, however: the class inheritance mechanism allows +Compared with other programming languages, Python's class mechanism adds classes +with a minimum of new syntax and semantics. It is a mixture of the class +mechanisms found in C++ and Modula-3. Python classes provide all the standard +features of Object Oriented Programming: the class inheritance mechanism allows multiple base classes, a derived class can override any methods of its base class or classes, and a method can call the method of a base class with the same -name. Objects can contain an arbitrary amount of data. +name. Objects can contain arbitrary amounts and kinds of data. As is true for +modules, classes partake of the dynamic nature of Python: they are created at +runtime, and can be modified further after creation. In C++ terminology, normally class members (including the data members) are -*public* (except see below :ref:`tut-private`), -and all member functions are *virtual*. As in Modula-3, there are no shorthands -for referencing the object's members from its methods: the method function is -declared with an explicit first argument representing the object, which is -provided implicitly by the call. As in Smalltalk, classes themselves are -objects. This provides semantics for importing and renaming. Unlike C++ and -Modula-3, built-in types can be used as base classes for extension by the user. -Also, like in C++, most built-in operators with special syntax (arithmetic -operators, subscripting etc.) can be redefined for class instances. +*public* (except see below :ref:`tut-private`), and all member functions are +*virtual*. As in Modula-3, there are no shorthands for referencing the object's +members from its methods: the method function is declared with an explicit first +argument representing the object, which is provided implicitly by the call. As +in Smalltalk, classes themselves are objects. This provides semantics for +importing and renaming. Unlike C++ and Modula-3, built-in types can be used as +base classes for extension by the user. Also, like in C++, most built-in +operators with special syntax (arithmetic operators, subscripting etc.) can be +redefined for class instances. (Lacking universally accepted terminology to talk about classes, I will make occasional use of Smalltalk and C++ terms. I would use Modula-3 terms, since -- cgit v1.2.1